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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Karun Chandhok confirmed for return to Le Man 24 Hours

Former Formula 1 driver Karun Chandhok will be back for the Le Mans 24 Hours in June with the Murphy Prototypes LMP2 team. The Indian racer, who last year finished sixth overall at Le Mans with JRM Racing, has signed to drive Murphy's ORECA-Nissan 03 with team regular Brendon Hartley and experienced US sportscar driver Mark Patterson. JRM Racing pulled out of this year's competition after they couldn't secure the required finances.

Chandhok, who is also racing in this year's FIA GT Series, said: "I've made no secret of my desire to get back in a prototype for Le Mans, so I'm very happy with this drive. Brendon and I are two pretty good gold-rated drivers, and I hear good things about our silver, Mark.
"Murphy was competitive last year and there are some good people in the team. If I could be the first Indian driver on the podium at Le Mans, that would be a big story for me."

Team owner Greg Murphy told Autosport, that he had been put in contact with Chandhok by his former Formula 3 team boss Russell Eacott, whose T-Sport squad formerly ran out of the Brackley premises now occupied by Murphy Prototypes.

"With this line-up I genuinely expect to be up there challenging in P2 again at Le Mans," said Murphy. "Having led for five hours last year, we very much feel that it is unfinished business for us."

Hartley and Patterson, who notched up a second place in yesterday's British GT Championship opener at Oulton Park, will drive the Murphy ORECA at the European Le Mans Series opener at Silverstone on April 13. The team has yet to define its line-up for the remainder of the season.